U.S. patent number 8,021,201 [Application Number 12/513,536] was granted by the patent office on 2011-09-20 for electrical contact configuration.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Robert Bosch GmbH. Invention is credited to Adolf Dillmann, Daniel Huber, Jochen Kircher, Christian Lang, Achim Silberbauer.
United States Patent |
8,021,201 |
Lang , et al. |
September 20, 2011 |
Electrical contact configuration
Abstract
An electrical contact configuration having a test contact point
and a contacting element belonging to a testing device for manually
touch-contacting the test contact point. The test contact point is
a recess, and the contacting element has a contact region producing
at least one line contact with the recess.
Inventors: |
Lang; Christian (Aichach,
DE), Huber; Daniel (Reutlingen, DE),
Silberbauer; Achim (Reutlingen, DE), Kircher;
Jochen (Reutlingen, DE), Dillmann; Adolf
(Muensingen, DE) |
Assignee: |
Robert Bosch GmbH (Stuttgart,
DE)
|
Family
ID: |
39264880 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/513,536 |
Filed: |
October 31, 2007 |
PCT
Filed: |
October 31, 2007 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/EP2007/061767 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
December 08, 2009 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2008/055839 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
May 15, 2008 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20100093234 A1 |
Apr 15, 2010 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 6, 2006 [DE] |
|
|
10 2006 052 112 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/884;
439/482 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01R
31/34 (20130101); H01R 13/22 (20130101); G01R
1/0416 (20130101); H01R 2201/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
9/24 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;439/169,482,700,884,889 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1095363 |
|
Dec 1960 |
|
DE |
|
7129887 |
|
Apr 1973 |
|
DE |
|
4224444 |
|
Feb 1994 |
|
DE |
|
3-263772 |
|
Nov 1991 |
|
JP |
|
2006-511905 |
|
Apr 2006 |
|
JP |
|
Other References
International Search Report, PCT International Patent Application
No. PCT/EP2007/061767, dated Jul. 16, 2008. cited by other.
|
Primary Examiner: Nguyen; Khiem
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrical contact configuration, comprising: a test contact
point; and a contacting element belonging to a testing device for
manually touch-contacting the test contact point, the contacting
element having a first contact region and a second contact region,
wherein the first contact region has a diameter smaller than a
diameter of the second contact region; wherein the test contact
point is a recess, and the first contact region produces at least
one line contact with the recess.
2. An electrical contact configuration, comprising: a test contact
point; and a contacting element belonging to a testing device for
manually touch-contacting the test contact point, the contacting
element having a first contact region and a second contact region,
wherein the first contact region has a diameter smaller than a
diameter of the second contact region; wherein the test contact
point is a recess, and the second contact region produces at least
one surface contact with the recess.
3. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 1,
wherein at least one of the contacting element and the recess has a
circular cross section.
4. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 1,
wherein the diameter of the first region of the contacting element
is smaller than that of the recess.
5. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 1,
wherein the contacting element has a contact tip in a shape of one
of a cone segment or a sphere segment, at least in regions.
6. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 5,
wherein the contact tip has the first contact region.
7. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 5,
wherein a maximum diameter of the contact tip is greater than a
maximum diameter of the recess.
8. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 1,
wherein the recess is developed in a shape of one of a cone segment
or a sphere segment, at least in regions.
9. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 5,
wherein the contact tip and the recess are adapted to each other in
terms of shape.
10. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 1,
wherein the recess is grooved.
11. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 5,
wherein the contact tip is a polyhedron.
12. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 1,
wherein the recess is a passage.
13. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 12,
wherein the passage is a plated through-hole.
14. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 2,
wherein at least one of the contacting element and the recess has a
circular cross section.
15. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 2,
wherein the diameter of the first region of the contacting element
is smaller than that of the recess.
16. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 2,
wherein the contacting element has a contact tip in a shape of one
of a cone segment or a sphere segment, at least in regions.
17. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 16,
wherein the contact tip has the first contact region.
18. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 16,
wherein a maximum diameter of the contact tip is greater than a
maximum diameter of the recess.
19. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 2,
wherein the recess is developed in a shape of one of a cone segment
or a sphere segment, at least in regions.
20. The electrical contact configuration as recited in claim 16,
wherein the contact tip and the recess are adapted to each other in
terms of shape.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical contact
configuration having a test contact point and a contacting element
belonging to a testing device for manually touch-contacting the
test contact point.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Electrical contact configurations of the type mentioned at the
outset are widely known. Thus there are testing devices, for
example, that have one or more testing pins, which a user manually
presses onto contact plates of an electrical/electronic device that
is to be tested. Subsequently, the proper operation of the device
is tested using a testing current. The testing pin pressed onto the
contact plate creates a point contact that establishes the
electrical connection. In such a touch contact, only small currents
up to a maximum of 1 Ampere are possible because of the point
contact. This is not substantially improved by the use of larger
testing pins.
SUMMARY
According to an example embodiment of the present invention, the
test contact point is developed as a recess and the contacting
element has a contact region producing at least one line contact
with the recess. Because the test contact point is provided as a
recess, it is not or not only the tip of the contacting element
that makes contact with the test contact point, but rather at least
a part of the lateral surface of the contacting element makes a
line contact with a lateral surface of the test contact point
formed by the recess. The line contact allows for a higher flow of
current such that it is possible to perform a test under operating
conditions even in the high current range above 10 Amperes. In
addition, the contacting element is prevented from slipping away
from the test contact point.
Furthermore, an electrical contact configuration having a test
contact point and a contacting element belonging to a testing
device for manually touch-contacting the test contact point is
provided, the test contact point being developed as a recess, and
the contacting element having a contact region producing at least
one surface contact with the recess. Compared to the line contact,
the surface contact allows for an even higher flow of current.
Advantageously, the contacting element and/or the recess may have a
circular cross section. The thus cylindrically designed contacting
element may be inserted into the recess and produce the line
contact or surface contact.
Expediently, the diameter of the contacting element is smaller than
that of the recess. Thus it is possible to insert the contacting
element axially into the recess, a region of the outer surface of
the contacting element coming into touch-contact with a region of
the inner surface of the recess and thus forming or producing the
contact region. If in the process the contacting element is
inserted axially into the recess, then a surface contact may be
produced, while in the case of a non-axial insertion of the
contacting element, because of the tilt, one or two line contacts
may be produced.
Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention,
the contacting element has a contact tip that is developed at least
in regions in the form of a cone segment or sphere segment. Such a
development of the contact tip entails that the contacting element
may be inserted into the recess particularly readily since the
contacting element is guided into the recess by the contact tip and
is centered within it, if required. For this purpose, the contact
tip may have one or multiple such regions.
Advantageously, the contact tip has the contact region.
Advantageously, the maximum diameter of the contact tip is greater
than the diameter of the cross-sectionally circular recess. If now
the contacting element or the contact tip is inserted into the
recess, the contact region situated on the contact tip together
with the edge of the recess produces a line contact, which as a
ring contact runs across the entire circumference of the contact
tip or contact region. Having a contact tip in the shape of a
sphere segment, the contacting element may be inserted into the
recess from a position deviating from an axially directed position
or may be tilted in the recess, while the ring contact is always
maintained.
According to a further development of the present invention, the
recess is developed at least in regions to have the shape of a cone
segment or sphere segment. The surface contact is accomplished by
the contact region of a contact tip that is likewise developed in
the shape of a cone segment or sphere segment. Expediently, the
contact tip and the recess are adapted to each other in terms of
their shape. Of course, other developments of the recess and the
contact tip mutually adapted in terms of their shape are possible
as well, the contours of the contact tip and of the recess, in
particular those of the respective contact regions, generally
match.
According to a further development of the present invention, the
recess is developed to be grooved such that the contacting element
may be inserted into the recess at different points.
In practice, this may result in the advantage that the test contact
point is easier to reach and that more degrees of freedom with
respect to the configuration of different components are provided
in the construction of an electrical device to be tested.
According to a further development of the present invention, the
contact point is developed as a polyhedron such that its cross
section has an edge profile. This is advantageous for example for a
contacting element that is to be inserted into the grooved recess
since this produces an advantageous line contact. If the contact
tip or the contact region and the grooved recess are adapted to
each other in terms of their shape, then this produces the
advantageous surface contact. If the grooved recess has for
example--viewed in the longitudinal extension of the groove--a
wedge-shaped cross section, then the contact tip or contact region
adapted to it in terms of its shape is likewise developed to be
wedge-shaped.
Furthermore, there is a provision for the recess to be developed as
a passage. Advantageously, the passage is developed as a plated
through-hole. This ensures that an electrical contact may be
established at any point of the plated through-hole or of the
passage. Expediently, the recess is developed as a test contact
point of a printed circuit board. Thus, it is possible to test in a
simple manner a proper operation of a device to which the printed
circuit board belongs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention shall be explained in greater detail below
with reference to the figures.
FIG. 1 shows a top view of an electrical/electronic device having
test contact points according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 shows a detail view of a test contact point.
FIG. 3 shows a contact configuration according to an embodiment of
the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a detail view of the contact configuration according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows a tolerance compensation of the contact configuration
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
In an exemplary embodiment, FIG. 1 shows in a top view an
electrical/electronic device 1 in the form of an electric motor 2
having a housing 3 on which a housing cover 4 is situated. Housing
cover 4 has three openings 5, which are located above plug contact
devices 6 of a printed circuit board 7 situated below housing cover
4. Beside each of the plug contact devices 6, a test contact point
8 is provided, which is developed as recess 9. In this instance,
recesses 9 have a circular cross section. Openings 5 are shaped in
such a way that test contact point 8 is freely accessible, as is
also shown in a detail view of test contact point 8 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of test contact point 8 along a
section A-A from FIG. 2, a contacting element 13 being guided into
recess 9 by a contact tip 14. FIG. 4 additionally shows a detail
view of contact tip 14 of contacting element 13. FIG. 4 furthermore
shows recess 9 in printed circuit board 7, recess 9 being developed
in the shape of a cone segment. In edge region 10, the recess has a
conductor element 11, for example of a circuit trace of printed
circuit board 7. Conductor element 11 thus forms the region of
recess 9 that is able to make electrical contact. Advantageously,
conductor element 11 has a conically developed test contact surface
12, which thus forms a cone segment-shaped section of recess 9.
Contact point 14 of contacting element 13 is developed in the shape
of a cone segment and extends into recess 9. Contact point 14 has a
first contact tip region 15, which is developed in the shape of a
cone segment, and a second contact tip region 16, which is likewise
developed in the shape of a cone segment, its smallest diameter
being greater than the greatest diameter of contact tip region 15.
The diameters of both regions increase counter to the direction in
which contacting element 13 is inserted into receptacle 9. Contact
tip region 16 forms a contact region 17 of contacting element 13,
which produces an advantageous surface contact together with recess
9 or conductor element 11 of recess 9. In this instance, contact
tip region 15 acts as an aid for inserting contacting element 13
into recess 9.
Because of the surface contact, electrical contact configuration 18
formed by contacting element 13 and recess 9 allows for the use of
a testing current above 10 Amperes, that is, in the high current
range, for the purpose of testing device 1.
In addition, FIG. 3 shows an advantageous design of contacting
element as a test pin 19. Because of the pin shape, contacting
element 13 or test pin 19 is even able to reach deeper test contact
points 8 in a particularly simple manner. Because of the
advantageous design of contact tip 14, test pin 19 is automatically
aligned on test contact point 8 or in recess 9, an advantageous
surface contact being produced in the process.
FIG. 5 shows the contact configuration 18 from FIGS. 3 and 4,
contacting element 13 being represented in two different positions
13' and 13''. The cone segment-shaped development of recess 9 and
of test contact surface 12 and contact region 17 allows for a
tolerance compensation, contacting element 13 or test pin 19 being
inserted into recess 9 in a tilted manner and a surface contact
being produced nevertheless, at least in regions.
If contact region 17 and test contact surface 12 are advantageously
shaped as a sphere segment, then the contact surface produced or
the surface contact produced always remain the same when contacting
element 13 or test pin 19 are tilted into one of positions 13' or
13''.
If recess 9 or conductor element 11 has no shape-adapted test
contact surface, which is developed in the shape of a cone segment
as shown in the exemplary embodiment, then a line contact is
produced, which likewise allows for a higher current flow in
comparison to the related art.
In another specific embodiment of contact configuration 18, the
recess is advantageously developed as a passage, preferably as a
plated through-hole of printed circuit board 7.
* * * * *